The Bluebird September 1996 Vo1.63, No
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The Bluebird September 1996 Vo1.63, No. 3 The Audubon Society of Missouri Founded 1901 The Audubon Society ofMissouri Officers* Directors* Bob Lewis, President (1996) Mike Beck ( 1998) 26 Tanglewood Ct. Blue Springs (816) 229-6811 Fannington, MO 63640 (314) 756-5484 Doris Fitchett (1998) Chillicothe (816) 646-4462 Stephen Dilks, Vice President (1996) 5298 Sir Bors Dr. Apt. 3 Jim D. Wilson (1998) St. Louis, MO 63129 Jefferson City (573) 751-4115 (314) 845-9855 David Easterla (1996) Jean Graebner, Treasurer (1996) Maryville (816) 582-8468 1800 S. Roby Fann Rd. Rocheport, MO 65279 Kay Palmer (1996) (573) 698-2855 Ashland (573) 657-1910 Susan Dornfeld, Secretary (1996) Bill Reeves (1996) 700 S. Weller Fannington (314) 756-4160 Springfield, MO 65208 (417) 831-9702 Bill Clark (1997) Columbia (573) 474-4510 Susan Hazelwood, Hotline (1996) 3005 Chapel Hill Rd. Paul Bauer (1997) Columbia, MO 65203 Florissant (314) 921-3972 (573) 445-4925 Larry Herbert ( 1997) Bill Clark, Historian Joplin (417) 624-3065 3906 Grace Ellen Dr. Columbia, MO 65202 (573) 474-4510 Sydney Wade (Honorary) Jefferson City John Wylie (Honorary) Jefferson City Floyd Lawhon (Honorary) St. Joseph** *year term expires Leo Galloway (Honorary) St. Joseph **deceased Patrick Mahnkey (Honorary) Forsyth Rebecca Matthews (Honorary) Springfield Cover by David Plank The Bluebird Quarterly Magazine of the Audubon Society of Missouri Editors: Seasonal Survey Editors: Bill & Kay Palmer Fall: Jack VanBenthuysen 15100 S. Clinkenbeard Rd. 217 Sylvester Ashland, MO 65010 St. Louis, MO 63119 (573)657-1910 (314) 961-3390 Conservation Issues Editor: Winter: Brad Jacobs, P.O. Box 180 Anita Randolph Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 619 Norris Dr. (573)751-4115 (573)635-6018 Spring: Chris Hobbs Christmas Bird Count Editor: 13121 Swartz Rd. David A. Easterla Bonner Springs, KS 66012(3 Dept. of Biol. NW MO St. U. (913) 441-2473 Maryville, Mo 64468 Office (816) 562-1813 Summer: Jim D. Wilson, P.O. Box180 Home (816) 582-8468 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 (573)751-4115 MO Bird Records Committee: Paul M. McKenzie- Chair Mark B. Robbins - Secretary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Museum of Natural History 608 E. Cherry St. Dyche Hall Columbia, MO 65201 University of Kansas Office (573) 876-1911 Lawrence, KS 66045 Home (573) 445-3019 Office (913) 864-3657 Deadlines for submission of material for publication in The Bluebird Manuscripts for The Bluebird- to the editors by: Feb. 1 for March issue; May 1 for June issue Aug. 1 for Sept. issue; Nov. 1 for Dec. issue Seasonal Surveys: Winter-to Brad Jacobs by March 10 Spring-to Chris Hobbs by June 10 Summer-to Jim D. Wilson by Aug. 10 Fall-to Jack VanBenthuysen by Dec. 10 Photographs in this issue by Bill Palmer The Bluebird is printed by Ketch's Printing, Jefferson City, MO. Many thanks to Jim Ketcherside for the many services he provides. Table of Contents September 1996 Volume 63, No.3 THE BLUEBIRD ARTICLES 3 In Memoriam 6 Birding in Wyoming Lester Pannell 26 Notes on Fall Migration of LeConte's Sparrow Paul McKenzie 31 Bird ID Workshop Paul McKenzie 33 Breeding Record of Great-tailed Grackle Paul McKenzie 52 Texas Trip Report Steve Dilks Center Insert Hawk ID Workshop at Fall Meeting ASM Fall Meeting DEPARTMENTS 4 President's Corner 20 The Missing Feather 9 Conservation Report 36 Seasonal Survey- Spring 12 The Finer Points of 57 Bird News Identification 2 IN MEMORIAM ROGER TORY PETERSON: August 28. 1908- July 28. 1996 Roger Tory Peterson died on Sunday at his home in Old Lyme, Conn. He was 87. With the exception of the last six months, he had been active and, among other things, trying to complete the latest edition of his Eastern U.S. bird guide. During his career, he either wrote or edited nearly 50 books and contributed prefaces, indtroductions and commentary to dozens more. He also wrote many articles for a variety of magazines. His paintings and photographs of birds won much praise and he garnered prizes for his ability to teach a nation so much of what it came to know and love about bird life. In the '30s, when he began his work, there were serious questions as to whether sufficient numbers of Americans cared or could be induced to learn about bird life. At least four publishers refused to have anything to do with "A Field Guide to the Birds." Houghton-Mifflin, which took on the project in 1934, was so convinced that the book would fail that it commited itself to a first printing of only 2,000 copies and tried to persuade Peterson to waive royalties on the first thousand sold. To the surprise of his editors, the first edition sold out in two weeks. There is one bird who shares Peterson's name. It is a beautiful cinnamon-and-buff colored screech owl that lives in the highland cloud forests of Ecuador and Peru. It was unknown to science until 1976. The paper describing it was illustrated by a painting by Peterson. The English name of this rare, beautiful little owl is the Cinnamon Screech Owl. Its scientific name is Otus petersoni. Speaking about bird watchers, Peterson once said, "Whether they are princes, tycoons, housewives or kids, they tend to be a bit more civilized, a bit more aware, than most non-watchers." takenfrom the New York Times 3 PRESIDENT'S CORNER Bob Lewis Ed's engaging grin and his personal enthusiasm were con- tagious. Sadly, many of us came to believe this kind of chapter service was automatic and that we deserved it. But then the hammer dropped. With its finan- cial back "against the wall," N a- tional Audubon was forced to ew of us have been withdraw many of its national around long enough to F programs and particularly its remember emissaries dispatched chapter services. from National Audubon to help Ed felt lucky to keep his job solve our chapter problems and with Audubon when he was provide inspiration to chapter given a job with water resources leaders. But yes, Virginia, there and was moved east. Ron really was an Audubon Man! Klataske filled the vacuum. But Ed Pembleton served five his own heavy load included states for a few years starting in trying to save the Niobrara River August of 1980. But even spread in Nebraska and keeping the so thin as from the western bor- Platte River free. And then he ders of Oklahoma, Kansas and was given three more states to Nebraska to the Mississippi make a total of eight. Even with River boundaries of Arkansas this load Ron has worked hard to and Missouri, Ed managed to get serve the Midwest. around to see all of us with a All this conversation is lead- good slide program, a bit of ad- ing up to the statement that there vice or a good natured pat on the is a possibility a Field Office back. Audubon morale was high from National Audubon could and the strength of chapters was be opened in Missouri. Some of grow1ng. our members have been meeting 4 to explore possible ways to told the group that National has make this happen. a strategic plan to strengthen Anita Randolph, from her chapters by opening new state position as Audubon Council offices to reach Audubon goals Chair, has provided key leader- of environmental education and ship. And Brad Jacobs heads up advocacy. a steering committee to lead dis- So that's what is happening. cussion. Besides Brad, the com- I recommend that we all con- mittee is composed of Jan tinue to pursue this attractive Burch, Mike Doyen, and Mary possibility. I can see the dawn of Dueren. a period when the voice of This bunch met with Glenn Audubon in Missouri will be lis- Olson, director of field opera- tened to. Of course, we wouldn't tions for National Audubon, and expect this opportunity to be Don Arnosti, director of the handed over on a silver platter. Minnesota field office on July Maybe we'll be asked to make 13th along with 30 of our Mis- some itsy bitsy sacrifice. Let's souri Audubon members. Olson go for it! 5 Birding in Wyoming Lester Pannell y wife, Charlene, and unusual species, Harlequin MI have recently Ducks and Cinnamon Teal. returned from a July trip to Yel- We saw 25 life birds on our lowstone National Park and the trip. The most numerous and Grand Tetons. easiest to find were Common Two previous trips to Kan- Ravens, Pine Siskins and Violet- sas had not produced a green Swallows. Fairly common Swainson's Hawk. However, were California Gulls, Clark's we identified our first in the act Nutcrackers, Brewer's Black- of catching prey north of Hays, birds, Black-billed Magpies and Kansas. Our second life sighting Mountain Bluebirds. of the trip was a Black-billed Only one or two sightings Magpie at Norton, Kansas. consisted of Pine Grosbeak, A short side trip to North Steller's Jays, Gray Jays, Platte National Wildlife Refuge, Barrow's Goldeneye and a few miles north of Scottsbluff, Oregon Juncos. Nebraska, produced our only Townsend's Solitaire. We also saw a Bullock's Oriole. A stop at Hell's Half Acre in central Wyoming produced our only two Rock Wrens. Most of Wyoming, we con- cluded, is sparse on bird num- bers. Variety is good, however. The Yellowstone River, south of the Lower and Upper Y el- lowstone Falls, contained the best concentrations of water birds. We saw a lifer, a Common Goldeneye. We did not see two Swainson' s Hawk 6 We saw Trumpeter Swans at both Yellowstone and National Elk Refuge, which joins Grand Teton on the south.